We're One Step Closer to Better Sunscreen

The approval process by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) can be woefully slow, and for over a decade, new sunscreen ingredients—some of which are widely used in other countries—have been trapped in an FDA backlog. But on July 15, those ingredients got one step closer to market when the House Energy and Commerce’s Health Subcommittee approved a bill that would speed up the process.

As we reported in May, sunscreen innovation advocates are hopeful that the a bipartisan bill called the Sunscreen Innovation Act—which is currently under review—could pass this summer. There are eight ingredients currently waiting for FDA approval, and the majority have been used in European and Asian countries for years. Some of the ingredients appear to offer better protection from UVA rays than those currently used in U.S. products.

The House Energy and Commerce’s Health Subcommittee approved the bill, which means it’s one step closer to getting passed by the House, something advocates think could happen before Congress’ recess in August. After that the bill heads to Senate. If the bill passes, the FDA is will have to respond to the current pending ingredients within a year, and all new applications will have to be responded to within one and half years.

Since skin cancer is the most common cancer in the U.S., having the most up-to-date products is important to keep people safe. For now, here are some shopping tips.